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Rob Staton
Hot topics
- Why the Seahawks are already facing a critical period under the new regime
- Instant reaction: Don’t be fooled, this was an embarrassing loss
- Curtis Allen’s week six watch-notes (vs San Francisco)
- Scouting notes week six: Eye-catching O-liners, a player the Seahawks might target, Luke Lachey notes, Cam Ward is what he is & more
- Video: 49ers preview with Puck Sports and an honest debate about the Seahawks after the Giants loss
I’ve also conducted my interview with Tony Pauline today. I will play a couple of clips during the stream and the full 30 minute conversation will drop on Monday. Very interesting!
Amazing content! Your work this off season is incredible
Thank you
Outstanding, thank you.
Is it possible that some of your best work is now coming from your time on vacation as well?
As a selfish subscriber, I can live with that if I have to. LOL!!!!
One of my favorite things to experience after this draft is over…
No more discussion of the Seahawks drafting Carter at number five. Can’t wait.
Yes! It’s time to get it done. Please, John, just don’t get too tricky and outsmart yourself.
It would be great if the discussion ended there, but that pick is going to be over analyzed and beat to death for years, probably, regardless of who we take.
PFN’s Ian Valentino seems to really have a bead on the Hawks in his latest mock.
Carter at 5, CB at 20, Guard at 37 and 4.54 WR Cedric Tillman to finish the first 2 rounds. Ian knows our draft tendencies for sure. Zero edge rushers taken and the only other help for the DL is the last 2 picks. Way to go Ian!
The PFN poll doesn’t even have QB as an option for “Who will the Seahawks take at #5?” The choices are Center, Guard, Defensive Line.
Oh well then I guess I won’t even have hope that the Hawks draft a QB. I’m sure PCJS are telling Ian Valentino (whoever the hell he is) their every plan. So awesome that I’ll get to watch Jalen Carter bust as a Seahawk at a level that will make the Malik McDowell pick look like a great one.
PLEASE man, will you come in here and accept the crow when Carter is NOT picked by the Seahawks? I will if I’m wrong.
And that’s not to mention it’d be even better if you were around 3 years from now when Carter is out of the league.
Now if your post was sarcasm, never mind………..
I think his post was sarcasm
Haha. I guess my sarcasm was a little too subtle.
I’m with you on this one. Each one of the picks was a – ‘come on are you serious’ type of reaction.
My apologies then. Just tired of Carter cult.
Me too man, me too. The No QB at 5 no matter what narrative is almost as infuriating as the Carter cultists.
If he ‘knows our drsft tendencies’ so well then why does he completely OG ore the face that for 12 straight drafts (years) the Seahawks have never drafted a CB earlier than round 3 and that only happened once that I can recall (S. Griffin). Yet he has us taking one at 20. Furthermore, the value of a Guard at 5th overall is terrible let alone Center, in which case the value is even worse.
QB/LT/Edge/DT/CB all have positional value for 5th overall in most drafts, including this one, although I’d argue there isn’t an OT worthy of #5. Precedent would all but rule out CB. That leaves QB, Edge, DT for positional value plus talent available.
Guard, C, S, LB, RB all not considered at 5, in my view for us.
All that said, I do enjoy PFN’s writeups on players and their mock draft simulator.
*completely ignore the fact….(that for 12 straight drafts…)
Darn typos
See above, I was being sarcastic. Yes, every pick seemed to fly in the face of what we think they’ll do.
Ahh, thanks. Went over my head lol
What? No punters in top 2 rounds?
Rob,
The CJ Stroud thing has made me think about some of the recent drafts.
Now I know he was lower on your board, but how do LJ Collier’s compare to Ade Ade’s?
Collier was a mediocre athlete with limited upside
Ade is an elite athlete, one of the best to enter the league
Bob McGinn’s sources on Jalen Carter:
https://www.golongtd.com/p/part-5-dl-does-jalen-carter-love
Woof
I question whether he’s available at 37 and I’m serious. Would you want him at 37? I would pass, but at a point, you have to consider him. 52? Pass, but it’s closer.
Also, at 5, Stroud and Richardson both available. Who do you want? I’m ok with either, but if push comes to shove, probably Stroud, even if you do have to make his reads from the sidelines. Just get a big flash card with DK’s picture and hold it up before every play. Probelm solved.
Just a flat “No Thanks” from me.
Monday on 710:
Bump and Stacey….should the seahawks use all their draft picks to move up to #2 for Carter? Tune in as we ask Calen Jarter an anonymous scout from Alpharetta Georgia to weigh in.
roflmao, 710 has turned into a giant flaming pile of crap with their constant recycled garbage narratives.
I literally LOL’d
I listen to Brock and Salk and ignore the rest of the 710 programming.
Even Brock and Salk is the same recycled garbage narratives. Brock has had some truly flaming tire fire takes this offseason in regards to the draft and esp the QBs.
Yowzer. Troubled young man.
Drew Rosenhaus is amazing.
Media: “No way he gets out of the top-10”
Speaking of Rosenhaus, wouldn’t you think that an agent’s first move would be to get your client in front of as many cameras as possible to scream their undying love for football and how apologetic he could be for how he’s acted?!?! To me, his absence shows that even his very greedy, ruthless, blood-sucking agent doesn’t even have enough faith in him to stand there and read a written statement to the media. That should be all you need to know about this guy.
I was giving about a 5% chance of Seattle drafting him – McGinn’s article has me thinking Rob’s 0.5% is accurate. Pretty amazing comments.
Oh my. So my question. Do none of the media-types and mocksters pay any attention to McGinn? Do they not believe him? Or are they paid off by Rosenhaus?
I’m eager to hear what you have to say about John Schneider’s comment saying we do better when we go BPA. I’m curious if this affects the chances of us taking Jalen Carter or not. Hypothetically, if Will Anderson is gone, there’s no trade back option, and they don’t love the remaining Qb(s), would they be more inclined to take Carter? I am by no means a Jalen Carter fanboy, and I agree with a lot of what you’ve said about him and the likelihood of him being a Seahawk. I just think if BPA is truly a priority in our draft philosophy, then a Carter selection could be more realistic than we think. Apologies if you’re tired of talking about this.
It’s very important to also acknowledge that ‘BPA’ doesn’t just mean who the media say is the best talent, or who gets the highest grade on NFL.com.
It’s the complete picture. As I’ve said, I’m 99.5% sure they won’t take Carter because he is the total antithesis of what they see as a ‘Seahawk’. They are looking for grit, work ethic, commitment and dedication to complement talent. That is even more of a focus in the top-five.
Carter isn’t remotely close to being what they want as a person. That’s the reality. And it’ll be that way for many teams, not just Seattle. Don’t be surprised if the media got this ALL wrong.
Kayvon Thibodeaux wasn’t even considered by Seattle in round one a year ago reportedly. I have no idea why, armed with that knowledge and what we know about Carter, why this fan base has wasted as much time as it has talking about him. It’ll all be over by Thursday night anyway.
BPA at 5 will be Bijan Robinson by a mile for this draft, if you start to get into the weeds of positional value then you enter those issues but then you drift away from true BPA
Hard to say when you don’t know who when 1-4 yet, right?
Honestly, if we had all our key players in place and were able to truly get BPA, I would LOVE to have Bijan on our team. The dude can play!
He can run the ball or they could use him as a slot receiver. Imagine Walker lined up to run the ball and Robinson in slot formation.
Exactly!
Looking forward to the stream today. Mariners game, SDB stream, all good. Helps deal with yet another rainy, shitty day in the PNW.
I’m a golf nut and watch golf whenever I can, so enjoying the play this weekend. It is definitely grey outside but I haven’t gotten any rain so I’m happy! 😉 Even happier with the weather forecast for the coming week!!! supposed to hit 80 by Friday!!! WooHoo!!!
Really wish I was still a baseball fan because I spent a lot of hours watching it. The Mariners seem like a fun team to follow but I’m an old NL fan (Braves and my sorry Astros when they were still in the NL). Went to a LOT of games when I lived in Houston and miss it.
AAAANNNNNDDD, I missed the intro of my diatribe…Looking forward to today’s stream as well!
Yeah the forecast looks amazing. However…………call me gun shy cuz we’ve seen this a couple of times already this “Spring”.
Long-time lurker here. I wanted to know everyone’s thoughts on a Derrick Henry trade. I know he is getting older and it would dampen Kenneth Walker’s value, but I feel Seattle needs to get back to dominiating the running game. https://seahawksdraftblog.com/its-time-to-address-some-inconvenient-truths I keep coming back to this article written by Rob. By getting the closest player to Marshawn Lynch, you finally solve the issue that’s been plaguing this them for almost a decade now.
Thanks for the ridiculously comprehensive coverage this year Rob. Not that you don’t do it every year but the sheer quality and quantity this time around is boggling.
Not sure how that posted as a reply to the above but…I guess I’m also a longtime mostly lurker so it’s at least adjacent.
I feel like what Tennessee wants for him compared to the production you’ll get out of him is too big of a gap to make it worth it and I don’t think Tennessee is giving up their only hint of a competent offense
That’s fair, I saw rumors recently that he might be getting traded to the Eagles. The composition seemed pretty light from what I’ve seen which probably makes sense with an almost 30 year old RB with injury history.
Henry would be a tremendous get but I’d rather bring in another young buck to compliment K9.
Can agree with that, Thanks Tom.
I feel like if the roster were more complete and the team felt like they needed just one more weapon to put a turbo charge into things, I could see them trading a pick for 29-yo Henry and his $10m salary in 2023.
They do need RB depth but also need interior OL and DL depth, more LBs and the safety situation needs to get straightened out.
Very good point Cha. Just wanted to also thank you for your massive contributions to this blog.
You’re very welcome.
There’s a very easy solution to this “situation”. But you already know that.
You’re getting another season of the Prez Experience, whether you like it or not. Hope I’m wrong, but I think Pete is willing to die on that hill.
Trade for an expensive RB on his second contract who’s best years are probably behind him based on the shirt shelf life of RBs is a terrible idea in this case. Of he was an elite receiver, too, like CMC I’d still have major reservations. Hard pass.
The RB position is devalued in the current NFL for 2 reasons: RBs are increasingly having shorter careers (or at least shorter periods of peak production in their careers – 5 years; RBs on their second contracts are pretty expensive. As good as Derrick Henry has been, the reality is his productive period has already gone beyond the average and Father Time always wins. So, Seattle would be paying a premium price and taking on substantial risk of underperformance.
If you are looking for a backup to K-9, the draft has a lot of RBs that fit the Seahawks profile and you could get a guy like Evan Hull on Day 3 for minimum salary.
If you are looking for a 1B to K-9’s 1A, then you are still better off spending 20 on Bijan if he lasts that far or getting another top back in the 2nd. They are cheaper than Henry and you would have them for 5 years not 1 or maybe 2.
Very good points Steve. I guess I may be getting a little nostalgic here. I agree with almost all your points, but idk if K-9 and a decent back is enough to lean and rely on. Maybe I may be underrating Kenneth but I feel we need a big leader and tone-setter at the running back position that’s been missing since Marshawn. I feel Walker is a lot closer to Rashaad Penny then to Marshawn.
Walker may have a different style than Marshawn or Carson but he’s reast a top 5 back in football, in my view. A 1b is nice, like Gibbs in the second or Spears in middle rounds or if you want the smasher you look at a guy like Rochon Johnson as a change of pace power back.
I miss Marshawn too. I see where that would make you think of Henry.
RBs who lead like that are rare. I don’t know if K9 will grow in that respect. It is hard for a rookie to lead like that. You have to earn the respect of the locker room first. Beast Mode had the respect of the whole League at his peak in Seattle. Like King Henry does now.
I wouldn’t mind bringing in Leonard Fournette on a low cost 1 year contract because he’s a physical runner and draft another to fill the 2 spots that are open.
What are the chances the Packers deal Rodgers to the Jets before the draft and then trade for #5 to scoop their future QB?
Not in their style
And the Seahawks don’t need to trade back to 15 that would be pointless
Fair points Allen, I would just think he isn’t *just* some expensive old running back. I think he would be a tone-setter for your running game and the closest thing you can ever get to Marshawn. And you probably won’t need to trade a lot for him.
There’s a reason you wouldn’t have to send away a lot of draft capital and there’s a reason for that, and would be paying a lot of salary on a short-shelf life player. He’s fun to watch but more and more banged up and ready peaked. Declining assets are available for a reason. Walker is younger and does every bit as much for our offense as Henry does for TEN.
Ever since your cigar thoughts draft picks, I’ve been intrigued by the idea of only picking offensive players in the first two rounds. I know it would be contrary to Pete picking on both sides, but I’m just so curious about what they could get. Starting with a QB, Center, Wide Receiver and tight end. Can you discuss an all offensive board vs all defense for first two rounds, and which would you prefer if you had to pick one or the other?
I think there’s a real chance that Devin Witherspoon or Christian Gonzales name could be on the card at 5 if Will Anderson isn’t there at 5. I still prefer Richardson or Levis, but it would not surprise me to see Pete and John throw everyone a curveball and go off script.
Gonzales would shock the heck out me.
He is so soft. He plays weak.
We are going from the Legion of Boom to the Social Distancing D?
Soft? I have to disagree here. He gets in there and plays the run too. Doesn’t shy away from contact that I see.
He might not have the big highlight hits that Witherspoon did, but that dude is a technician. He’s always in phase in coverage and does it without being handsy (like 2021 Porter).
I’ll be just as shocked as you if they took him at 5, but I think calling him soft/weak is off the mark.
I really like Witherspoon, but I would hate that pick there. Especially with any of the big 4 QB prospects on the board. Gonzalez would be even worse. If we took either of those guys at #5, it would feel like “we cant move back and the clock is ticking so fuck it..” which is kind of how we ended up with LJ Collier.
Which is more important? Offensive line vs. Defensive line. Take a look what happened in the Super Bowl between Kansas City and Philadelphia. During the coarse of the 2022 season the Eagles had 70 sacks which lead the NFL. In fact that number(70) is third all-time since sacks became a statistic. So what happened in the Super Bowl? In the Super Bowl the Philadelphia Eagles could not come up with one measly sack. Think about that. That is pretty amazing. That in my opinion is were Kansas City won the game. Protecting Mahomes was they key to a Super Bowl victory. Kansas City has Patrick Mahomes as their QB and Andy Reid as their head coach. You have to give a Andy Reid a ton of credit for that Super Bowl victory. Part of the reason Philadelphia was not able to muster any sacks was because of the play calling of Andy Reid . You could also throw in the mobility of Patrick Mahomes.
The top three QBs in the NFL are Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen. You can debate which one is the best. Jalen Hurts is a good QB but he is not in the same category as Mahomes, Burrow or Allen. At least not at this time.
Two years ago Patrick Mahomes spent the entire Super Bowl running for his life. Obviously that is why Tampa Bay defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. In my opinion the Offensive line is just as important as the defensive line. I personally would not rate one more important then the other. Games are won in the trenches. I have always believed in getting your offensive and defensive lines fixed first. Howie Roseman the General Manager of the Philadelphia Eagles is also a big proponent of that philosophy. Even though the Eagles lost the Super Bowl they did manage to get to the big dance.
Now fast forward to the 2023 draft for the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks offensive line needs a center. Plus they still could use another interior offensive lineman. Obviously their defensive line needs a lot of work. Finally at QB Geno Smith is a good QB but he is not as good as Jalen Hurts. Geno Smith is not the long term answer at QB. Geno Smith is a good QB. He is very accurate as a passer. Geno Smith is a good guy. He is also team oriented. But he is also prone to making fumbles/interceptions. So when it comes to the 2023 draft for the Seahawks some how they need to come up with the right guy at QB. No doubt the Hawks are going to tackle the defensive line. And also go after a center. Which is great. I am glad they are going to do this. But they have to get it right at. QB.
As much as I like Will Anderson. Will Anderson has proven to be a game wrecker. During his college career he had over 200 QBs pressures. That is phenomenal. However you still have to get it right at QB. The Seahawks are going to go a long way to fix both OL/DL. Which is great. They need to. I just hope that not only is Richardson on the board when the Seahawks pick. But I also hope the Seahawks select him.
I read somewhere where some one in the front office said that the Seahawk offense is QB friendly. I actually agree with the Statement. With that said. When Anthony Richardson steps on two an NFL field. He might be the most talented QB in the NFL.
Great points.
Build the trenches. Get an elite QB. Compete to win SuperBowls. That is the primary formula.
In regards to Anthony Richardson. I have made this statement before. Seattle is the perfect landing spot for Seattle. After all they did develop Russell Wilson. Russell Wilson’s first year they gave him baby steps. They didn’t overload him. They gave him a little bit more of information each and every week. It almost seemed like Pete Carroll knew how to develop Russell Wilson more than Russell Wilson himself. Look at the disaster in Denver this past year. Russell Wilson thought he knew more than Pete Carroll. The result. Russell Wilson had the WORST year of his career. Not only that but Geno Smith by far and away had his best season. Believe or not before 2022 Geno Smith had more picks than TDs. It’s a wonder if he is still was in the NFL. So if the Seahawks can turn that career around, it is obvious to me that Pete Carroll knows how to develop a QBs. And the Seahawk offense is QB friendly.
Yes, the Seahawks are a QB friendly football team. Pete Carroll likes to run the football. The Seahawks have some outstanding weapons for a QB to work. The Hawks are developing a nice young offensive line. Everything is in place for Anthony Richardson to succeed. The Hawks have Geno Smith and Drew Lock ahead of Richardson so their is no reason to rush Richardson.
Obviously I will be a little disappointed if the Seahawks are not able to land Richardson. As good as Levis, Stroud, Young and Anderson are. I will take Richardson over any of those players.
Just heard that Stroud is a Seahawk fan. So I guess if I had a 2nd choice it would be Stroud.
Talent over need.
People rarely even talk about how absolutely electric Richardson is as a runner. Seattle and dual threat QBs is a proven plan that works and Anthony was more upsdoe than even Wilson does and same goes for Hurts.
Richardson looks like a Madden cheat code to me. I am fully chugging the Kool-Aid. If we don’t land him. I am going to be major bummed. And I don’t even care if we have to cough up picks and players (Fant?) to move up and make it happen.
Just after the combine I was discussing the draft with my Mom. We got to talking about Carter and she felt he could slide out of the first round entirely. I wasn’t so sure but now I’m starting to think that actually could be possible despite what the media is being fed by his agent.
My NFL Draft Seahawks Mock
Used the new ESPN sulimulator because if seems to have the more realistic rankings. The focus was to draft only the highest character players that have elite athletic traits as well. This would be an A+ draft for me.
5 Anthony Richardson QB- Hawks get the most dynamic QB prospect in years and future face of the franchise.
* Cheifs trade up to get OT Anton Harrison and the Hawks get 31 and 63.
31 Adetomiwa Adebawore DE- incredible athlete and character could be either a base DE in the 3-4 or a 3Tech if they go back to the 4-3
37 Julius Brents CB- Corner is not the biggest need but the idea of Brent’s opposite Woolen for the next decade is too exciting to pass up.
52 Jonathan Mingo WR- Rob has been a fan all year and it looks like the rest of the league is finally catching up. If he is still on the board he would be an incredible WR3. If he is going perhaps they go TE here with a guy like
63 Derick Hall DE- Great Athlete and high character player who has the potential to be elite. Has the length, speed and explosiveness the Hawks look for.
83 Luke Wypler C/G- Ideal fit for the Hawks scheme.
123 Dorian Williams ILB- one of my favorite players in the draft.
151 Cameron Young DT- one of the most under rated defensive players in the draft and ideal addition to the DT rotation.
154 Andrew Vorhees C/G- if not for the injury he would have been a day 2 pick. Redshirt this year but could be an ideal replacement for Phil Haynes next season.
198 Jerod Clark NT- If the Hawks stick to the 3-4 he will be a early down run stuffer.
237 Chris Rodriguez Jr. RB- power RB to compliment Walker.
that would be a hell of a draft!
A+
I would be so stoked if we could pull off a draft class like this.
Thank you for the broadcast with Robbie and Adam.
Remarkable to see how things have evolved in regards to picks 1-4.
Adam’s comment about how his estimate of John Schneider’s approach has changed from ‘wait and see’ to really needing to weigh moving up vs losing out, is spot on.
It’s becoming more and more apparent that neither Richardson or Anderson will be there at 5.
Really loved the spur of the moment Mock Draft you guys did at the end, however unlikely.
The comment about getting Bijan Robinson meaning that we’d have wr 3 and Ken Walker’s relief/partner in one person really got me thinking. Couldn’t Bijan be Deebo 2.0? Have him on the field WITH Walker as a hybrid slot. The possibility is tantalizing.
If Richardson AND Anderson are both off the board by 5, I’m looking at Devin Witherspoon or Christian Gonzales. And I know all the history rah rah stuff, 32″ wingspan, 6’ft, never taken a CB before the 3rd round. It’d be so John and Pete to cone out of left field with a pick like that and surprise us ALL on draft day. Especially if either CB’s character were rated off the charts.
The online last mock draft I did had Ringo going #1 overall, so I swore off doing anymore mock drafts. Too many unrealistic choices made for these to be of much value. They are fun to do though 🙂
I just ran a PFB Mock Draft only drafting BPA, according to the PFN rankings at the time of the Seahawks pick, and not accepting any trade offers. I wanted to get and idea what a true BPA draft would look like not considering needs, team fit or just not wanting fat and lazy palers. I was really afraid that I would end up with Jalen Cater so of course I did. I really liked the picks Bijan, Mayer, Bryon Yound and Rodriguez but this is offset by getting stuck with Jalen.
5. DE Jalen Cater
20. Bijan Robinson
37. TE Michael Mayer
52. LB Jack Cambell
73. S Brandon Joseph
123. WR Nathaniel Dell
151. DT Bryon Young
154 C. Jon Gaines
198. DT Jaxon Player
237 RB Chris Rodriguez
Nice live broadcast there Rob. I really like the PF mock simulator draft you all had to show how ridiculous it is. I use it more for trade options and pick my players where I think I can get them. Pick 20 the first guys I would be looking to see if they were still there would be Michael Mayer or Robinson because they are 1st round talents. If both those are there I take RB over TE. Ever mock you have them both gone and feel your right. I’m not afraid to go offense in the 1st picks and I would even take 4th if say the Alabama RB had drop to 52. Theirs a lot DT on the mock that are completely hidden. Karl Brooks is a 3t you rate in 4th round I could see him sliding in 154. So many PAC 12 player are being completely overlooked because the division sucks. I think Seattle will draft a center this year but I been mocking one since Ungar was traded. I can see them taking Wyler at 37 if the Giants and Cardinals take the other because the Jets would be looking with 1 of there 2 picks in the 40’s. After the draft take breather you deserve it but not for to long hehe.
The extraordinary division over pick 5 this year has reminded me of the guest article I wrote years ago on the confidence bias. There is a huge percentage of the fan base that has a very strong opinion about whether or not to draft Jalen Carter and are absolutely convinced their opinion is correct. There is also another huge percentage of the fan base that has a very strong opinion about whether or not to draft a QB and are absolutely convinced their opinion is correct.
One thing that I personally have found fascinating is the effect on me personally. I have been fairly successful in the past in making the mental shift between thinking what would I do and what will PCJS do and that kept things from getting too personal. But, this year I have found myself feeling “they have to get this guy at 5!”
Pretty sure I’m preaching to the choir here, but the world at large increasingly seems incapable of seeing the value of Discourse. So often, people are unwilling to consider more than one potential view. Not only that, anyone who doesn’t hold the same opinion is the proverbial enemy and/or dismissed as being a “smooth brain”. It’s tough to learn anything if you never allow your own assumptions to be challenged and never consider alternate points of view.
Yes. I love dialogue. I love challenging my assumptions. I enjoy this blog the most when there are options being thrown around and we are testing the pros and cons. Can you improve the defense and get a QB of the future? Why, yes you can if you stop to work through it a bit. I’m OK with strong opinions, particularly backed with strong reasoning. Dismissive opinions with weak reasoning and no openness for discourse is a waste of time.
Rob, you tipped me off to Zavala yesterday and since he wasn’t on your horizontal board, I dug up everything I could. Well now, if they get a Center and Zavala they would potentially have a championship caliber offensive line in 2024.